Theater review: Bobby Cannavale in "The Big Knife"

"The Big Knife," which opened in a tangy revival Tuesday night at the American Airlines Theatre, was Clifford Odets' poison-pen letter to Hollywood.

A scene from The Big Knife. Pictured, left to right: Richard Kind, Bobby Cannavale and Chip Zien.

After his great New York stage success in the 1930s, with the social-protest plays "Waiting for Lefty," "Awake and Sing!" and "Golden Boy," he left to harvest the riches to be found in the movie industry.

Charlie Castle, the lead character in "The Big Knife" – a talented, politically committed theater performer who sells his artistic soul for the easy life in Beverly Hills – is commonly believed to have been based on actor John Garfield.

But you can easily see Odets himself, and his sense that he wasted his talent in Hollywood, in the character (who was played by Garfield when the play debuted on Broadway in 1949).

Charlie (Bobby Cannavale) is one of Hollywood's biggest stars, in a time when everyone trembled over the power of gossip columnists and studios both protected and exploited their money-makers.

The studio wants Charlie to sign a lucrative, 14-year contract extension, to continue grinding out the profitable, but second-rate, films he's been headlining.

However, his estranged, though still-loving, wife, Marion (Marin Ireland), insists he reject the deal, so the two of them and their little son can return to New York, and he can regain his integrity.

Though having been seduced by a lifestyle of booze, starlets and daily games of tennis, the conflicted Charlie is ready to do that – except, if he turns the contract down, the studio is ready to destroy him.

A year earlier, accompanied in his car by a young actress (Rachel Brosnahan), he hit and killed a child on the way home from a Christmas party, and fled the scene.

The studio arranged for one of its publicity hacks to say he was driving, and the man served a 10-month prison sentence.

The studio head, Marcus Hoff (Richard Kind), holds the secret over Charlie's head, and the melodrama thickens when the actress threatens to reveal what happened, and the studio prepares to take whatever measures are necessary to silence her.

This dark stew is expertly stirred by director Doug Hughes, but the seasoning is added by the zesty performances of the supporting cast.

Kind, a comic actor best-known to TV viewers as Larry David's irritating cousin on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," brings an unexpected sense of menace to the role of Hoff, who's the quintessence of a posturing, devious, ruthless Hollywood boss.

The always excellent Reg Rogers, as Hoff's right-hand man and enforcer, has a compelling, world-weary suaveness in what could have been a stock role. Chip Zien, meanwhile, provides an additional texture as Charlie's loyal, bouncy, eager-to-please agent.

As the long-suffering Marion, Ireland offers dignity and unadorned honesty.

The actor who fares least well is Cannavale, who's at his best playing blunt, strong-willed characters.

He seems unsure how to interpret the blurry, inconsistent Charlie. There's also the matter of Odets' overripe language, which would be a trial for any actor.

How do you get up a head of steam after saying, "You're sweet, Bud, a real friend – solid as an apple. But don't butter my radish when it comes to acting in a piece of four-bit bait."

It's different for the character actors, who are playing variations of Hollywood types for whom speech is a means of diversion.

When Hoff says to Charlie, "I was always there for you and yours, and the vexing problems, so manifold, of the heat and toil of the day," it's funny, the kind of overspeak an unctuous, two-faced studio chief might use.

"The Big Knife" isn't a great play, and Charlie's issues never become riveting, but this revival offers a juicy fable of old Hollywood at its most notorious.

Theater review: Bobby Cannavale in "The Big Knife"

"The Big Knife," which opened in a tangy revival Tuesday night at the American Airlines Theatre, was Clifford Odets' poison-pen letter to Hollywood.

After his great New York stage success in the 1930s, with the social-protest plays "Waiting for Lefty," "Awake and Sing!" and "Golden Boy," he left to harvest the riches to be found in the movie industry.

Charlie Castle, the lead character in "The Big Knife" – a talented, politically committed theater performer who sells his artistic soul for the easy life in Beverly Hills – is commonly believed to have been based on actor John Garfield.

But you can easily see Odets himself, and his sense that he wasted his talent in Hollywood, in the character (who was played by Garfield when the play debuted on Broadway in 1949).

Charlie (Bobby Cannavale) is one of Hollywood's biggest stars, in a time when everyone trembled over the power of gossip columnists and studios both protected and exploited their money-makers.

The studio wants Charlie to sign a lucrative, 14-year contract extension, to continue grinding out the profitable, but second-rate, films he's been headlining.

However, his estranged, though still-loving, wife, Marion (Marin Ireland), insists he reject the deal, so the two of them and their little son can return to New York, and he can regain his integrity.

Though having been seduced by a lifestyle of booze, starlets and daily games of tennis, the conflicted Charlie is ready to do that – except, if he turns the contract down, the studio is ready to destroy him.

A year earlier, accompanied in his car by a young actress (Rachel Brosnahan), he hit and killed a child on the way home from a Christmas party, and fled the scene.

The studio arranged for one of its publicity hacks to say he was driving, and the man served a 10-month prison sentence.

The studio head, Marcus Hoff (Richard Kind), holds the secret over Charlie's head, and the melodrama thickens when the actress threatens to reveal what happened, and the studio prepares to take whatever measures are necessary to silence her.

This dark stew is expertly stirred by director Doug Hughes, but the seasoning is added by the zesty performances of the supporting cast.

Kind, a comic actor best-known to TV viewers as Larry David's irritating cousin on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," brings an unexpected sense of menace to the role of Hoff, who's the quintessence of a posturing, devious, ruthless Hollywood boss.

The always excellent Reg Rogers, as Hoff's right-hand man and enforcer, has a compelling, world-weary suaveness in what could have been a stock role. Chip Zien, meanwhile, provides an additional texture as Charlie's loyal, bouncy, eager-to-please agent.

As the long-suffering Marion, Ireland offers dignity and unadorned honesty.

The actor who fares least well is Cannavale, who's at his best playing blunt, strong-willed characters.

He seems unsure how to interpret the blurry, inconsistent Charlie. There's also the matter of Odets' overripe language, which would be a trial for any actor.

How do you get up a head of steam after saying, "You're sweet, Bud, a real friend – solid as an apple. But don't butter my radish when it comes to acting in a piece of four-bit bait."

It's different for the character actors, who are playing variations of Hollywood types for whom speech is a means of diversion.

When Hoff says to Charlie, "I was always there for you and yours, and the vexing problems, so manifold, of the heat and toil of the day," it's funny, the kind of overspeak an unctuous, two-faced studio chief might use.

"The Big Knife" isn't a great play, and Charlie's issues never become riveting, but this revival offers a juicy fable of old Hollywood at its most notorious.